Hick's Farewell

My parents raised me tenderly,

They had no child but me.

My mind being placed on rambling,

With them I couldn't agree

Just to leave my aged parents

And them no more to see.

There was a wealthy gentleman

Who lived there very near by.

He had a beautiful daughter,

On her I cast an eye.

She was so tall and slender,

So pretty and so fair.

There never was a girl in this whole wide world

With her I could compare.

I asked her if it differed

If I crossed over the plain.

She said, "It makes no difference

If you never return again."

We too shook hands and parted,

And I left my girl behind.

I started out in this wide world

Strange faces for to see.

I met little Maggie Walker

And she fell in love with me.

Her pockets all lined with greenback

And her labor I'll grow old,

I'll say I'll roam no more.

I traveled out one morning,

To the salt works I were bound.

And when I reached the salt works

I viewed the city all around.

Work and money were plentiful

And the girls all kind to me.

But the only object to my heart

Was a girl in Tennessee.

I traveled out one morning

Down on the market square.

The mail train being on arrival,

I met the carrier there.

He handed me a letter,

So's I could understand

That the girl I left in Tennessee

Had married another man.

I drove on down a little further

And found that it was true.

I turned my horse and buggy around

But I didn't know what to do.

I turned all around and about there --

Bad company I'll resign;

I'll drive all about from town to town

For the girl I left behind.